Fleeting Hands, Empty Cans
by Ivylicious
Summary: The effects of alcohol can bring out certain sides of people they'd rather not see themselves. For Sasuke, it's becoming dependant upon human contact. Sasunarusasu. Can be interpreted as AU or the same setting as Canon - undisclosed. One-shot.


_Another oneshot concept I had been toying with before I thought 'why not?' so I've been writing this on and off for quite the while now. Well, it's certainly proven to be quite different to how I expected it. Nothing mature so it's suitable for younger eyes but that being said I'm definitely giving it a T-rating._

_So, warnings: Shonen-ai, drinking, mild swearing (if I remember rightly)._

_Characters do not belong to me. (c) Masashi Kishimoto for those interested._

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**Fleeting Hands, Empty Cans**

At first glance, one would expect the club to not be very popular but when our group crossed the threshold I was quite surprised at how packed it was. Through some miracle we had managed to secure a table and we sat down whilst Naruto went off to get the first round. Those of us who had made it were: Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Sakura, Shino, Hinata and myself. Sakura was the one to initiate the gossip with Ino and Hinata whilst Shikamaru, Kiba and Shino had a discussion. Naruto returned shortly with a tray of drinks and placed it on the table. We all had a usual that we drank and I lifted the bitter from the tray.

Naruto sat in the empty seat beside me and managed to pull the whole group into a big conversation. Even I offered input from time to time.

It didn't take long for Naruto to challenge myself and Kiba in a drinking game and I considered refusing but the look on Naruto's face clearly told me that he'd force me to join if I dared refuse anyway. _"Come on, Sasuke,"_ he said. _"It'll be fun," _he said. So, with some reluctance, I joined in the game.

Our game was beer roulette and… there was a lot of beer to drink. Now, I was certainly feeling much dizzier than before. Kiba dropped out of the game first with a face-full of beer sprayed on his face so it was between myself and Naruto. It seemed I got lucky as Naruto was the one to lose which meant that I was the lucky victor.

Some of our group headed out to the dance floor, Naruto included, but I stayed behind with one of the left over cans from the beer roulette game.

Ino and Shikamaru had also decided not to leave. They were sadists like that. They both knew what I'm like when I'm drunk. So I ignored them and looked anywhere else which might not have been the wisest of ideas that I've ever had.

As it were, my gaze was drawn to the effervescent Naruto who was thoroughly enjoying dancing. He was switching partners quickly, grinding on both males and females. I knew he was bisexual but even I was surprised he didn't get punched for grinding on the guys but he seemed to know who wouldn't care. Some of them were staring at him with ill-suppressed lust. It's no surprise though. The way his hips moved were mesmerising and his hands danced fleetingly across their chests to grasp their asses to press them both closer together. Not only that but he was possibly the most gorgeous man there in the club.

My mouth was dry so I sipped my drink. I wanted to be the one pressed flush against him, rolling my hips in sync with his. Those electric eyes would focus solely on me, drawing me in. The heat pooling between us would be thick and almost tangible. Cursing, I put my glass down on the table.

"Sasuke? Are you alright?" Ino asked me. I looked to her. She glanced to where I had been looking and a look of comprehension settled over her face. She and Shikamaru knew drunk me _very_ well. "Oh I see, he's still clueless."

"And hopefully it will stay that way," I said gruffly.

She laughed. "He won't know until you let him know, you know?"

"Is there any reason you are repeating the word 'know'?"

"No," she said nonchalantly. Rolling my eyes, I picked my drink back up and sipped it.

"Why Naruto?" I asked her.

"I'm pretty good at getting into people's minds but I can't read them," she giggled.

"Maybe it's because you've got feelings that you're not acknowledging," Shikamaru guessed. "Even when you're sober I've noticed your eyes lingering on him a lot. I imagine that you were just thinking something inappropriate before you put your glass down."

I spluttered and clapped my hand to my mouth. Putting my glass down, I cleared my throat and stared at Shikamaru in disbelief.

"Don't deny it," Shikamaru added after seeing my reaction.

I lowered my hand and glared at my glass. "I know better than that," I said over the music.

"Compose yourself, he's heading back," Shikamaru jerked his head over to indicate where Naruto was.

Naruto joined us at the table and smiled at us. "Hey guys!"

"Hey," Ino grinned and stood to hug Naruto, or rather drape over him. It was insanity from there on. Naruto and I had left to go get drinks from the bar for the rest of the group, it was my round but I didn't trust myself to carry them back. Naruto took the drinks back on a tray and set it down.

It was then that the results of my drinking competition with Naruto began to set in. _Damn it_. It was too warm and nauseating to remain in the humid club. My head felt as if it was swimming and I couldn't allow myself to drink anymore. It was all his damned fault anyway. Challenging me to a drinking game out of the blue… As if he couldn't get any more moronic.

"Sasuke? Are you alright?" Naruto's concerned eyes held mine in that mesmerising, sincere gaze that only belonged to him.

"I'm fine," I assured him. "I just need some air." My body swayed slightly and I caught myself on his shoulder. Trust the damned blond not to be so badly affected by drink.

"Come on, I'll help you there," Naruto sighed and held my shoulder.

"I can manage," I frowned. Though, I couldn't tell if it was my usual frown or just a pout. This is why I didn't drink. I hated my drunken self much more than I hated the annoying side of Naruto. Yes, I really hated being slightly inebriated. Not one for letting a friend struggle on his own though, Naruto was adamant as he aided me towards the doors. He carefully propped me up against the wall and looked at me with those damned eyes again.

"Sasuke, are you sure you're alright?" Naruto asked me.

"Yeah, yeah," I waved my hand at him dismissively. "Don't let me keep you from the others."

"Yeah, 'cause I'd love to go back and have Kiba slobber all over my lap as Ino shouts: 'Big brother! Big brother!' And uses me as a pick up tactic." Naruto chuckled.

"You have a point," I smirked. "So you'd rather keep my drunk ass company?"

"Better than leaving a drunk ass like you out here on your own."

"You got me." I stumbled as I shifted to get more comfortable.

"Whoa, easy there," Naruto said as he moved to catch me. My hands gripped his shoulders and I was aware that the alcohol was raising my body temperature. Not moving, I remained holding onto his firm shoulders and he looked at me. "I shouldn't have challenged you to that drinking game," he laughed richly. I closed my eyes and revelled in the sound.

"I won, at the expense of my sobriety," I muttered back. He chuckled again.

"Well, you're still sounding like a walking dictionary so you're not too severely drunk and you're not sounding confused at least. The last time that happened you passed out."

"Not one of my more graceful moments," I laughed dryly. "I don't remember much of that night."

"And I'm not surprised, you were practically pickled in the alcohol."

This was good. Being close to Naruto and having a good conversation. I felt completely relaxed and his voice was lulling me further into bliss.

"Yeah, but what I do remember is that you were telling me about the inside of a ping-pong ball. You were just as wasted," I reminded him, laughing at the memory myself.

"You may never know what's inside them," he said in a sing-song kind of voice. I opened my eyes to look at him. "Sasuke, you look overheated."

"It's the alcohol," I mumbled back. He nodded, understanding. He unfastened the top few buttons of my shirt for me. "Thanks, I tend to forget my fine-motor skills when I'm like this."

"I figured as much."

"Ha, when did it get like this? Normally I'm the one looking out for you."

"And you've done a fantastic job but just enjoy tonight without worrying about me," he pressed a finger to the tip of my nose. I scrunched it and shot him a glare. "Oh quit pouting. Have you cooled down yet?" I nodded and this was true. "Alright then, we'll find seats somewhere so I don't have to worry about your drunk ass falling over."

I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. Naruto flashed a smile at me, sending my heart rate racing.

"You should laugh more often. It sounds nice," he stated simply. This of course was evidence that he was a little tipsy at that point but nowhere near my condition.

"And I like your smile, your real one," I practically giggled and hugged him.

"Jeez, Sasuke, I do wonder if you're really a man sometimes." With a pout, I thumped his arm. "Ow, ow, yeah you're a manly man. Fuck, you've got a good left hook."

"Left-handed," I reminded him waving my left hand at him. He moved away and held onto my arm firmly as he pulled me back inside. We returned to our group's table and Naruto cleared two seats for us on the cushioned bench seats. He sat in the corner where the bench met a divider and leant against it and he let me lean on him.

"Damn you Sasuke, you stole my headrest," Kiba said a little too loudly. I laughed as did Naruto.

"Didn't know you called dibs on him," I chuckled. "Besides, he's my headrest now." I stuck my tongue out at Kiba and gripped Naruto's arm.

"I don't know if I should be insulted or flattered that two drunk guys are fighting over whose headrest I am," Naruto laughed accepted a drink that Shikamaru had brought to the table.

"You've no idea just how possessive you look, Uchiha," Shikamaru laughed deeply. Not bothered, I waved an arm towards him before closing my eyes as I rolled my head back to sit in the crook of Naruto's neck.

"Doesn't matter as long as Blondie here knows he _my_ headrest," I smirked.

"Ah, Jeez, Sasuke," Naruto sighed. I cracked open an eye and looked up at him, still smirking. His left hand cupped the side of my ribcage and his touch was comfortably warm. This was probably his way of saying that he didn't mind. His thumb gently stroked my side through my shirt. "Just don't pass out on me, bastard," he chuckled.

"Alright just don't lecture me about ping-pong balls then," I replied. After Naruto had drained the last of his glass, he placed it down on the table.

"Yeah, I'll spare you that conversation for another day," he chuckled. Even inebriated, I knew that this was an agreement not to drink anymore tonight. My hands rested on my stomach and I laced my fingers together.

The thought did occur to me that I was a little too comfortable being practically in Naruto's arms. Not that Naruto would even consider that interpretation, I thought dejectedly. My drunken self craved human contact and the best kind was that of Naruto's touch I had learned from past experience. It's because of these past experiences that I knew I was naturally attracted to him and alcohol just lowered my inhibitions, even if just slightly. Because, let's face it, my inhibitions would be a wall far bigger than a thousand feet high around me. I hated my drunken self simply because of this. The only person who ever made an impression on this wall had been Naruto and the first time had been when I was a lot younger and most certainly sober.

* * * * *

_We were only children and it was the first time we had ever spoken. Just a month prior, my parents had been killed in a hold up at an expensive restaurant when our family had been going out for a meal. I was sat alone on the pier, not allowing myself to feel emotion as I thought of their blood-soaked clothes. I did that every evening as I recalled until the evening Naruto showed up. I heard his footsteps behind me and he stopped a couple of feet away from me._

_"Thinking?" he had asked me. I nodded once. "Oh, I see."_

_"No you don't," I had replied tersely. He pulled me up and back so I had no choice but to stand up and I turned to face him, ready to blast him with insults. He was looking at me expectantly and I could see the concern in his eyes._

_"I'm waiting," he said quietly. "Go on, I'm used to it. Call me names, insult me, make yourself out to be better than me."_

_I had frozen up at his words. Frowning, I looked away to the floor to the side of him._

_"You're not the only one that hurts. Just… let me understand you because I never had anyone to do that for me," Naruto mumbled quietly. He held his hand out to me, palm upraised._

_"I'm not going to call you names," I told him. I hesitantly took the hand. He instantly yanked me forwards and held his arms around me. Struggling in his grip, he kept firm. "I don't want your pity."_

_"It's not pity," he said softly. "It's not right if you don't cry when you're really hurt. It'll only hurt more in the end."_

_That was the only time that I had broken down to tears after my parents' death._

* * * * *

"Sasuke?" Naruto's concerned voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Hn?"

"You spaced out," he told me.

"I was thinking."

"What about?"

"When you first spoke to me," I flashed a smile his way. He chuckled.

"I look back on it myself and I can't help but to feel… happy about it," he mumbled, lips next to my ear.

I nodded my agreement. My fingers twitched and I fiddled a bit. I needed to keep my mind off those lips near my ear. If my face weren't already slightly flushed from alcohol I'm sure I'd be sporting a blush. His proximity was sending all manner of inappropriate thoughts to my head.

"My shoulder's starting to hurt," he grumbled. "Sit up a moment."

I did so and Naruto shuffled so that his leg was on the bench behind me and he pulled me around to lay on his chest. "N-Naruto?" I stammered.

"Relax," he murmured, lips at my ear again. I flinched a little before relaxing as he asked. Bringing my feet up onto the bench, I shuffled until I was settled comfortably. "Are you comfy?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I mumbled, nodding.

His hand found purchase on my side again and I was a little surprised by the touch. It was exactly what I had wanted though. I caught Shikamaru's gaze and the look on his face was slightly smug. There was little doubt that I looked like a hare caught in headlights. I raised my hand to my lips and bit the side of my index finger. With my other hand I meticulously picked off lint from the thigh of my jeans, finding it a little difficult to see in the dim lighting of the club. Naruto's scent was enveloping me and I couldn't help inhaling it deeply but I disguised it as a yawn.

"N… Naruto," I murmured, lolling my head back over his shoulder. I could have sworn that his grip on my side tightened slightly. _That's odd, I thought._

"Sasuke? You look overheated again. Are you sure you're alright?" he asked me. I groaned in frustration.

"Why… can't it be me?" I asked him. Pressing my lips to his neck, I felt his pulse. His grip on my side had definitely tightened.

"What are you talking about Sasuke?" I could hear the shakiness in his voice. "You're making no sense."

"I'm making perfect sense," I frowned. "You just don't understand."

I shifted to kneel between his legs, facing him. My hands were either side of his head against the divider as I stared into his eyes. His confusion was evident in his eyes.

"Sasuke, you're drunk," he frowned back at me.

"I won't argue," I replied. "But… I won't deny myself any longer. You… incite these feelings in me. Why can't it be me that you love?"

His eyes were wider than I'd ever seen them but I remained where I was, keeping eye contact. "What are you saying? It's not possible. You're drunk and straight. You don't know what you are saying," Naruto blurted. I simply chuckled and leaned closer to him. "S-Sasuke, don't…" he started but I placed a finger on his lips.

"Ino and Shikamaru can vouch for my real intentions," I said so that only he could hear. "Alcohol only lowers my inhibitions; it doesn't change my sexuality. Besides, when have I ever told you that I like anyone?"

"I had assumed you weren't interested in anyone," he said with my finger still over his lips.

"That's what I thought too but I was deluding myself. I get jealous of everyone who touches you because your touch is something I crave for," I said into his ear. "It's only about a year ago that I began to admit to myself that I'm in love with you."

"S-Sasuke," he stuttered. "Stop this now. Don't joke like that."

I frowned, a little annoyed by the fact that he didn't believe me. "You know that I don't joke," I said, a little offended. With that, I moved away from him and sat upright on the bench. After saying those words a sobering sense of finality washed over me. Yes, I was in love with the idiot.

"I'm sorry Sasuke but this is for your own good," Naruto said before standing up and leaving for the bar. I watched his back feeling a little hurt but I brushed those feelings aside. At least… At least he wasn't going to take advantage of me; I supposed that that was a positive. He came back with two glasses of what I assumed to be iced water. Placing one in front of me, he wordlessly took the seat beside me and sipped his own drink.

"Thank you," I spoke up, my tone reflecting that I was thankful for more than the drink he had given me. I glanced to Naruto and he smiled slightly before taking another sip. Following suit, I sipped my own drink and it was indeed iced water. With a faint smile, I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm still annoyed that you don't believe me though," I told him at a volume only he could hear.

"I know what you're like, Sasuke. I don't want to have you regretting anything when you're sober. You can't even be sure if what you're saying is true," Naruto told me soberly.

"I won't argue with you," I replied tersely.

"But…?" Naruto had anticipated that I wanted to say more.

"But I know that I want to hold and be held and it's only you that I feel safest around," I frowned down at my glass. Exposing my emotions wasn't something I was comfortable with and Naruto knew that. He understood I was serious and was a little stunned. I didn't blame him for his reaction. Looking at him now, I said to him: "May I…?" Swallowing the nervous lump in my throat, I waited for his rejection. "F-Forget it," I sighed and looked away. Naruto gave an annoyed frown.

"It's always the same with you: whenever you begin to open up, you think the worst and close up again."

I jolted when he reached a hand to my face and turned it to face him. "N-Naruto!" I stuttered. He chuckled amusedly as my eyes drooped shut at the gentle fingers against my cheek that smoothed over my face. Snapping my attention back away from his fingers, I focused on his eyes intensely. I shuffled to sit closer to him and I leant my head against his shoulder. He didn't protest as I moved closer to him. His hand settled in the small of my back.

"Relax Sasuke," Naruto told me softly.

I closed my eyes and gripped his arm, content to feel the heat radiating from him. After a while, Naruto yawned and shook his head to alleviate the daze. I was getting tired myself.

"Shall we head back then?" Naruto asked me. "You can stay over at mine for the night since it's a shorter walk."

"Thanks, I really appreciate that," I smiled.

"Oh you're leaving?" Shikamaru asked us as we rose to our feet.

"Yeah, we're tired now. See you soon though," Naruto smiled. He held my elbow and guided me out of the club and we headed back to his apartment. I stayed quiet on the way back but I assumed that Naruto wouldn't like for me not to talk to him when we got there. He let us in and switched the lights on.

"The couch?" I asked him.

"Whatever suits you," he chuckled, "but before I do anything, I'm eating something."

"Ramen again?"

"Hey, no need for that incredulous tone," he laughed. Rolling my eyes, I shoved at his arm.

"Make it for two, I'm hungry too."

"You're having ramen. You're still pretty drunk then."

"Only slightly, besides, it's not like you'll cook anything decent when you're also under the influence and tired. It's a matter of what's convenient," I countered.

"Fair enough but it's still really good stuff," he grinned.

"It's no good for you," I sighed. "And you're the one that's supposed to be the fitness instructor."

"Hey, whatever I eat, I'm able to exercise off. Anyway, I'm not insecure about my body."

"Rightly so," I smirked suggestively. He looked away, embarrassed at the realisation of what I meant. "Still, all those fats and the salt, it's cardiac arrest in a cup."

He was used to my disapproval of his eating habits but it was the first time I'd actually hinted at his body like that. I'd quickly steered the conversation back onto comfortable territory though and he seemed to appreciate that.

So, after preparing and eating the imminent cardiac arrest of a meal, he lumbered off to his bedroom and I could hear his snoring through the apartment. With a sigh, I went in to check on him. He was sprawled across the bed, still in his clothes. He can't have been kidding when he said he was tired though. Rolling my eyes, I made him more comfortable by removing his clothes down to his shirt and boxers and carefully easing him so that he lay beneath the sheets of his bed. It had been quite the temptation to just sit there and touch his skin but I had shaken off the thoughts and proceeded to fold up the clothes that I had removed and placed them on his computer chair.

Fortunately, Naruto had thought to lock the apartment before going to bed so I didn't have to worry about that. Despite my ability to think clearly, I still felt dizzy and I had previously fumbled with the fastenings of Naruto's clothes so I thought it best not to go too far. I didn't recall leaving the room and falling asleep though.

Sunlight glared in through the window and I slowly woke up. My body felt oddly heavy and my eyes widened in alarm when I opened them to see that Naruto laid on one side of my body. I must have jolted or something because he stirred and blearily looked at me, eyes initially settling on my bare chest before he panned his questioning gaze up at my face.

"Sasuke?" he said hesitantly. He didn't move off me so I assumed that he wasn't quite awake enough to move just yet.

"Hn?" My usual grunt was lighter than usual and I hoped it would encourage him to talk.

"Why are you in my bed?" he asked me.

"You came in here and fell asleep on top of your bed, shoes still on and everything. I made you comfortable and I must have fallen asleep," I told him honestly.

He nodded but I didn't miss the heavy expression or the almost unnoticeable sigh.

"Naruto…?"

"Do you remember last night?" he asked me. My brow furrowed as I ran through the event of last night through my mind.

"Yeah," I rasped nervously, "I don't take anything back though. If you hate me, I… I understand." I averted my eyes away from Naruto once I finished speaking. There was a lump in my throat and I bit my lip.

"You're already assuming things, aren't you Sasuke?" Naruto murmured.

"Forgive me if you're not making things clear. You should be freaking out over your best friend of nine years, who had confessed to having feelings for you, being in your bed right now!" I retorted angrily.

Naruto chuckled and shifted so his upper half was over me propped up by his arms and his hands sunk into the pillow either side of my head. "And I'm not freaking out, Sasuke," he said calmly. I swallowed in a vain attempt to alleviate the lump in my throat. "Yeah, you were acting weird but I wanted so badly to take advantage of it but I just couldn't. I couldn't take advantage of my most important person like that. But before last night, I had no idea you had even thought of me that way. When you constantly shrugged off the affections of others and never spoke to me about love I had assumed you were… I dunno, asexual? You have no idea just how beautiful I think you are."

I stared up at him with wide eyes and that smile never faded. He knew I was shocked and could see the way my lip trembled.

"If you hate me for wanting to take advantage of you, I'd understand that. But, Sasuke, I could never hate you," he added in a murmur.

These next words were difficult to ask but I had to ask him: "D-Do you love me?" They came out in a quiet stutter. His breathtaking smile was on full wattage and I could see nothing but his blue eyes and warm smile.

"Of course I love you, you neurotic wreck," he chuckled before pressing his lips to mine sweetly. "Didn't you listen to my confession?" His laugh had to be the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. I found myself laughing with him and I raised my hand to the side of his face. My fears and anxieties regarding him had gone and I was content just to enjoy that smile on his face that I had caused.

"Only you would insult me when saying you love me," I chuckled. "I'll say it sober then. I love you, Naruto Uzumaki."

He smiled before sealing my lips with his. His kiss was a little more demanding and I felt his tongue slide along the seam of my lips awaiting invitation. As my lips parted the tentative first touch of his tongue against mine tingled slightly but Naruto soon gained confidence and started probing further into my mouth. Our breathing hissed through our noses. The kiss became clumsy, brutal even, but I felt insatiable, not satisfied that I could taste enough of Naruto. His chest lowered onto mine and his fingers became lost in my hair. This extra contact seemed to alleviate an ache I hadn't even noticed and the hand not holding his face settled above his hip. Being a fitness instructor had worked wonders for him, I could feel the hard, defined muscle just beneath his skin as the hand wandered up his body. Not realising I had stopped breathing, I had to break away from him gasping back my breath.

"Sasuke?" Naruto huffed out, in a similar low-oxygen state.

"Wow," was all that I could say to him. He laughed and kissed me chastely. I brought my hand up to play with the golden locks of hair.

His stomach rumbled and he looked a little embarrassed. I chuckled and kissed the tip of his nose. "Looks like breakfast is in order," he said as a delicious blush spread across his cheeks. Evidently he hadn't expected I would be that affectionate but with him it came easily.

"Yeah, looks like it," I smirked, "I have a question though."

"Okay, shoot."

"Do you have painkillers?"

* * *

_So, let me know what you think. I'd love to hear it. Gah, the fluff! It burns!_


End file.
